


The Water's Sweet, But Blood Is Thicker

by context_please



Series: The Meaning of Brotherhood [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Brotherly Bonding, Dean being a soft bean, Gen, Sam Winchester Needs a Hug, dean being a good brother
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-16
Updated: 2017-10-16
Packaged: 2019-01-18 05:39:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12382014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/context_please/pseuds/context_please
Summary: The second night after Sam found out 'the truth' was worse than the first.





	The Water's Sweet, But Blood Is Thicker

**Author's Note:**

> I'm soft for these small children.

The second night after Sam found out ‘the truth’ was worse than the first.

Dean had finally gotten him into bed after two hours of checking, re-checking, and triple checking the sigils, salt lines and hex bags around the house. The entire time his little brother had been panicking, spouting about getting killed by ghosts and werewolves and even Dracula, at one point.

Finally, Dean had snapped. ‘Sammy, shut up and go to bed!’ he’d yelled angrily. ‘You need to trust me to do my job!’

Sam’s eyes had gone wide, but he’d crawled into bed without another complaint.

Now Dean was laying awake listening to the sounds of his brother rolling restlessly in the next bed over, sniffling occasionally and breathing heavily. After what must have been an hour, Dean felt a small hand land in between his shoulder blades and turned to see Sammy, tears streaming silently down his face and shoulders slumped. Dean turned back the covers without a word, pulling Sam in and hugging him close. His wet face pressed against Dean’s chest, staining his shirt and soaking it though, but that didn’t matter, because Sammy was scared and hurting, needing comfort.

‘It’s okay, Sammy, it’s okay,’ he whispered into his little brother’s hair, rubbing soothing circles over his back and shoulders. ‘We’re safe, Sammy. I’m right here, right here…’

Dean whispered comforting nonsense to his brother until they fell asleep.

 

 

The next day was a Sunday, and Sammy’s favourite movie was already playing on the TV, so Dean told his brother, ‘I’m getting the groceries, anything you need?’

Sam shook his head absently, eyes intently focused on _The Lion King_ as it played on the screen.

Snorting in amusement, Dean locked the motel door behind him and made his way to the local mall. The complex was small, only a few minutes walk down the road, consisting mostly of a giant grocery store and a few small businesses.

Sighing with what seemed like endless boredom, Dean picked his way through the aisles, only grabbing the cheapest items to bring home with him and feed his bottomless pit of a brother.

Finally done, Dean was getting the hell out of dodge when a shop caught his eye. It was a small shop, not nearly big enough to have any decent security, and filled to the brim with books. But it was one book in particular caught his attention: a small hardcover novel with a bright picture of a little girl and a giant mushroom on it. _Alice in Wonderland_ , the title read. Dean remembered it from last year in school when they’d had to study it for a school project. It was the first book he had ever enjoyed reading in earnest.

Glancing around himself, Dean slipped into the store, quickly finding the display of newly printed books and checking that the storeowners were not around. Finding the store empty and camera-free, Dean quickly swiped a copy of _Alice in Wonderland_ and shoved it into his bag, casually strolling out of the store again.

When Dean opened the door to the motel room, Sammy was sprawled out all over the floor, attention still on the TV. _The Lion King_ was playing its final scene, so Dean went straight to the tiny kitchenette and put away the groceries.

When the credits began rolling, Sam turned his attention to him, bouncing over to the table. ‘Hi Dean,’ he said cheerily.

‘Hey bitch,’ Dean responded with a shit-eating grin, setting the bag down on the table.

‘Dean,’ Sammy whined, just like the girl he was.

Instead of replying, Dean reached into the bag and pulled out the book, handing it to his little brother.

Sam grabbed instantly at the book, eyes scanning the cover intently. He lifted his eyes to Dean’s, scrutinizing him just as intensely.

‘I thought you could read it before bed,’ Dean said, ‘you know, as a distraction.’

A smile spread across his face, and he clutched the book, pushed out of his chair and tackled Dean in a hug.

For a moment, his crushed his little brother to his chest and let himself relax.

Then he said, ‘No chick flick moments, Sammy.’

‘Jerk.’

‘Bitch.’


End file.
